Machine for stacking bundles of signatures and like products

Abstract

A machine for stacking bundles of signatures and like products supplied in a continuous flow with their backs oriented in the same direction is provided by this invention. The machine comprises a support frame, a substantially horizontal endless conveyor supported by the frame having an input end for supplying the products to be stacked and an output end of loading the stacked products, and a platform for rotating an individual product. The platform is mounted rotatably on the frame about a vertical axis passing through the conveyor, and is translatable along the axis between a lowered position of substantial alignment with the plane of the conveyor, and a raised position in which the products on the conveyor can pass beneath the platform. The platform effects cyclically a raising from the conveyor of a product supply to the conveyor, rotating the raised product about the vertical axis so as to orient the back of this raised product in a direction diametrically opposed to that of its supply to the conveyor, and deposits the product with the oppositely-oriented back on the conveyor. The platform provides a horizontal support which supports said product over substantially the entire horizontal plane of said product. The machine allows stable stacks to be formed and has the qualities of speed and precision in operation, as well as high reliability and simple construction.

I claim: 
     
       1. A machine for stacking bundles of signatures and like products supplied in a continuous flow with their backs oriented in the same direction, comprising: a support frame;   a substantially horizontal endless conveyor supported by the frame and having an input end for supplying the products to be stacked and an output end for unloading the stacked products;   a platform means mounted rotatably on the frame about a vertical axis passing through the conveyor, said platform means also being translatable along the axis between a lowered position of substantial alignment with the plane of the conveyor, and a raised position in which the products on the conveyor can pass beneath the platform means, in order to effect cyclically a raising from the conveyor of a product supplied to the conveyor, rotating the raised product about said axis so as to orient the back of this raised product in a direction diametrically opposed to that of its supply to the conveyor, and the depositing of the product with the oppositely-oriented back on the conveyor;   wherein said platform means provides a horizontal support for said product which supports said product over substantially the entire horizontal plane of said product.   
     
     
       2. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the conveyor comprises a plurality of flexible elements in closed loops with horizontal passes lying side by side and together defining the conveying plane, and longitudinal spaces are defined between said adjacent horizontal passes, and wherein said platform means comprises at least one forked loading member with prongs which can extend horizontally within said longitudinal spaces in the lowered position of the platform means. 
     
     
       3. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotatable platform means comprises two loading surfaces on opposite sides of said axis of rotation. 
     
     
       4. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein sprung members are associated with the rotatable platform means to clamp the products raised from the conveyor during the rotation about the axis. 
     
     
       5. A machine as defined in Claim 4, wherein the platform has associated therewith a support device comprising: a supporting structure fixed to said frame;   a sleeve-shaped body mounted on said support structure for rotation about the vertical axis;   first drive means for rotating said sleeve-shaped body;   a shaft slidable axially within said sleeve-shaped body and coupled for rotation with the sleeve-shaped body, said shaft carrying the platform its lower end;   second drive means for sliding the shaft in the sleeve-shaped body, and   sprung slide members connected to said sleeve-shaped body in an arrangement in which, as a result of the raising of the shaft carrying the platform, the platform is brought close to said slides to carry the products raised from the conveyor into abutment with the slides.   
     
     
       6. A machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of vertical guides above the output end of the conveyor and together defining a stacking cage with a supply opening at its lower end;   a flat support member movable horizontally between an advanced position in which it extends through the supply opening, and a withdrawn position clear of the opening, and   a loading member movable vertically between the plane of the conveyor and the opening of the stacking case, the movement of the loading member being coordinated with the movement of the support member so as to effect, for each of said products a sequence of operations comprising:   the return of the support member to the withdrawn position in an arrangement in which the loading member supports the stack formed by the products collected in the stacking cage and the product raised from the conveyor;   the further raising of the loading member towards the position in which the lower surface of said stack lies substantially in the plane of movement of the support member, and the return of the support member to its advanced position and the lowering of the loading member.   
     
     
       7. A machine as defined in claim 6, wherein the conveyor comprises a plurality of flexible elements in closed loops with horizontal passes lying side by side and together defining the conveying plane, and wherein: the loading member comprises a plurality of horizontal bars together defining a surface for the lifting of the products having a grille-like structure;   each of said bars is movable vertically in a plane between two of said horizontal passes, and   the support member has substantially a forked form with horizontal prongs which can extend to the intersection of the plane of the opening of the stacking cage with vertical planes staggered relative to the vertical planes of movement of the bars of the loading member, so as to allow free interdigitation of said prongs and said bars when the support member is brought into the forward position and the loading member is in the fully raised position.   
     
     
       8. A machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said loading member comprises a comb-like body arranged substantially beneath the plane of the conveyor and having T-shaped teeth the heads of which constitute said horizontal bars, and drive means are associated with said comb-like body to effect its vertical translation between a lowered position in which said bars are substantially coplanar with the conveyor, and the fully raised position in which said bars are substantially coplanar with the prongs of the support member. 
     
     
       9. A machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said support member is substantially in the form of a portal above the conveyor, and wherein horizontal guides are provided on the frame along the sides of the conveyor to allow the translation of the support member between the advanced position and the withdrawn position. 
     
     
       10. A machine as defined in claim 6, wherein the stacking cage comprises four L-shaped guides each arranged in a corner position with respect to the products to be stacked, and wherein one of the sides of each guide of the pair of guides facing outwardly of the machine in the direction of advance of the products on the conveyor can be oriented in a position of alignment with the other side of said guide, to allow the stacked products to be removed from the stacking cage. 
     
     
       11. A machine as defined in claim 10, wherein a portal member is associated with the frame for supporting said guides, and wherein the position of fixing of the guides to said member is selectively adjustable so as to adapt the dimensions of the stacking cage to the dimensions of the products to be stacked. 
     
     
       12. A machine for stacking bundles of signatures and like products supplied in a continuous flow with their backs oriented in the same direction, comprising: (a) a support frame;   (b) a substantially horizontal endless conveyor supported by the frame and having an input end for supplying the products to be stacked and an output end for unloading the stacked products;   (c) a platform mounted rotatably on the frame about a vertical axis passing through the conveyor, said platform also being translatable along the axis between a lowered position of substantial alignment with the plane of the conveyor, and a raised position in which the products of the conveyor can pass beneath the platform, in order to effect cyclically a sequence of operations comprising: the raising, from the conveyor, of one product of each pair supplied to the conveyor;   the rotation of the raised product about said axis so as to orient the back of this product in a direction diametrically opposed to that of its supply to the conveyor, and   the depositing of the product with the oppositely-oriented back on the conveyor;     (d) a plurality of vertical guides above the output end of the conveyor and together defining a stacking cage with a supply opening at its lower end;   (e) a flat support member movable horizontally between an advanced position in which it extends through the supply opening and can support the products collected within said stacking cage, and a withdrawn position clear of the opening, and   (f) a loading member movable vertically between the plane of the conveyor and the opening of the stacking cage, the movement of the loading member being coordinated with the movement of the support member so as to effect, for each of said products, a sequence of operations comprising: the return of the support member to the withdrawn position in an arrangement in which the loading member supports the stack formed by the products collected in the stacking cage and the product raised from the conveyor;   the further raising of the loading member towards the position in which the lower surface of said stack lies substantially in the plane of movement of the support member, and   the return of the support member to its advanced position and the lowering of the loading member, wherein the conveyor comprises a plurality of flexible elements in closed loops with horizontal passes lying side by side and together defining the conveying plane, and longitudinal spaces are defined between said adjacent horizontal passes, and wherein said platform comprises at least one forked loading member with prongs which can extend horizontally within said longitudinal spaces in the lowered position of the platform.       
     
     
       13. A machine for stacking bundles of signatures and like products supplied in a continuous flow with their backs oriented in the same direction, comprising: (a) a support frame;   (b) a substantially horizontal endless conveyor supported by the frame and having an input end for supplying the products to be stacked and an output end for unloading the stacked products;   (c) a platform mounted rotatably on the frame about a vertical axis passing through the conveyor, said platform also being translatable along the axis between a lowered position of substantial alignment with the plane of the conveyor, and a raised position in which the products on the conveyor can pass beneath the platform, in order to effect cyclically a sequence of operations comprising: the raising, from the conveyor, of one product of each pair supplied to the conveyor;   the rotation of the raised product about said axis so as to orient the back of this product in a direction diametrically opposed to that of its supply to the conveyor, and   the depositing of the product with the oppositely-oriented back on the conveyor;     (d) a plurality of vertical guides above the output end of the conveyor and together defining a stacking cage with a supply opening at its lower end;   (e) a flat support member movable horizontally between an advanced position in which it extends through the supply opening and can support the products collected within said stacking cage, and a withdrawn position clear of the opening, and   (f) a loading member movable vertically between the plane of the conveyor and the opening of the stacking cage, the movement of the loading member being coordinated with the movement of the support member so as to effect, for each of said products, a sequence of operations comprising: the return of the support member to the withdrawn position in an arrangement in which the loading member supports the stack formed by the products collected in the stacking cage and the product raised from the conveyor;   the further raising of the loading member towards the position in which the lower surface of said stack lies substantially in the plane of movement of the support member, and   the return of the support member to its advanced position and the lowering of the loading member, wherein said rotatable platform comprises two loading surfaces on opposite sides of said axis of rotation.       
     
     
       14. A machine for stacking bundles of signatures and like products supplied in a continuous flow with their backs oriented in the same direction, comprising: (a) a support frame;   (b) a substantially horizontal endless conveyor supported by the frame and having an input end for supplying the products to be stacked and an output end for unloading the stacked products;   (c) a platform mounted rotatably on the frame about a vertical axis passing through the conveyor, said platform also being translatable along the axis between a lowered position of substantial alignment with the plane of the conveyor, and a raised position in which the products on the conveyor can pass beneath the platform, in order to effect cyclically a sequence of operations comprising: the raising, from the conveyor, of one product of each pair supplied to the conveyor;   the rotation of the raised product about said axis so as to orient the back of this product in a direction diametrically opposed to that of its supply to the conveyor, and   the depositing of the product with the oppositely-oriented back on the conveyor;     (d) a plurality of vertical guides above the output end of the conveyor and together defining a stacking cage with a supply opening at its lower end;   (e) a flat support member movable horizontally between an advanced position in which it extends through the supply opening and can support the products collected within said stacking cage, and a withdrawn position clear of the opening, and   (f) a loading member movable vertically between the plane of the conveyor and the opening of the stacking cage, the movement of the loading member being coordinated with the movement of the support member so as to effect, for each of said products, a sequence of operations comprising: the return of the support member to the withdrawn position in an arrangement in which the loading member supports the stack formed by the products collected in the stacking cage and the product raised from the conveyor;   the further raising of the loading member towards the position in which the lower surface of said stack lies substantially in the plane of movement of the support member, and   the return of the support member to its advanced position and the lowering of the loading member, wherein sprung members are associated with the rotatable platform to clamp the products raised from the conveyor during the rotation about the axis.     
     
     
       15. A machine as defined in claim 14, wherein the platform has associated therewith a support device comprising: a support structure fixed to said frame;   a sleeve-shaped body mounted on said support structure for rotation about the vertical axis; first drive means for rotating said sleeve-shaped body;   a shaft slidable axially within said sleeve-shaped body and coupled for rotation with the sleeve-shaped body, said shaft carrying the platform its lower end;   second drive means for sliding the shaft in the sleeve-shaped body, and   sprung slide members connected to said sleeve-shaped body in an arrangement in which, as a result of the raising of the shaft carrying the platform, the platform is brought close to said slides to carry the products raised from the conveyor into abutment with the slides.